Apparatus for cooking canned goods.



PATENTBD irAN. 14.196111 J. P. RITGHIB. APPARATUS P011 COOKING GANNED Goons.

APPLIoATIoN FILED 111111.12, 1907.' x 2 anims-SHEET 1.

Nmsveo. PATPNTPD JAN. 14, y1908.

l J. P. RITGHIE. APPARATUS PoR COOKING CANNPD Goons.

` A PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP An. 111111 '1.

JAMES P. RITCHIE, OF NEW TAZEWELL, TENNESSEE.

APPARATUS FOR COOKING CANNED GOODS.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 14, 1908.

Application filed March 12, 1907. Serial No. 361.961.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JMEs P. RITCHIE, a

citizen of the United States, resident of New Tazewell, in the county of Claiborne and State of Tennessee, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Apparatus for Cooking Canned Goods; 'and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The inventionhas relation to apparatus to be used for cooking canned goods with hot water, and-it consists in the novel construction and combinations of devices, as hereinafter set forth. A

The object of the invention is to provide means for facilitating the rapid handling of the' cans in large numbers and in connection therewith means for exactly regulating the time during which the cans are in the water.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention with the tank in section; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the apparatus on a larger' scale and partly broken away, showing the power or driving connection; Fig. 3 is a-plan view of the'invention; Fig. 4 is a detail sectional -view of one of the pivoted carriers, showing parts of the sprocket chains and the feed track; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the pivoted carriers, and Fig. (3 is afragmentary (detail view, partly in section of one of the sprocket linksand parts connected thereto.

In these drawings, theV letter. a designates a tank of proper size for the reception of the mechanism, which is designed to be partially immersed, to the points of feed and discharge, in the hot water ofthe tank.

The letters b, b', indicate framework for support of the shaft 2 of the sprocket wheels c in the lower part of the tank, and ther shaft 3 of the sprocket wheels d above the tank. Endless chains e, engage these sprocket wheels, which are designed to be connected with suitable power `devices for turning the same. The opposite chains are connected at intervals by pipes or bars f, engaging at' their-end portions lateral tenons e, of links e2, of the chains, such'pipes serving to brace the chains at proper distance apart, and to provide means for suspension of'the baskets or carriers g, in which the cans are carried through the hot water, first downward from'the point of feeding, and then upward to the point of discharge.

The baskets g: are suspended from the transverse pipes f by means of hooks, loops, or other pivotal bearings, so that they will always hang vertically downward through-- out the movement of the endless chains. These baskets are constructed in elongated skeleton form, having longitudinal run-ways or angle shelves h, which are inclined slightly to the horizontal from the feed end toward the discharge end,- and being designed to extend as nearly as possible the length of the tank, such space being governed by the position of the sprocket wheels and the feedving and discharge tracks. Each basket may be provided with several run-ways, according to the size of the tank, and the capacity desired.

At the discharge end of each run-way is provided an automatically working discharge gate 7c, which is hinged or fulcrumed as indicated at m, to the wall or other suitable bearings of the run-way or basket. It is designed to be of bail form, and is provided With an arm p, which extends rearward and is provided withan anti-friction roller s. As the gate falls by gravity in front of the line or char e of cans on a runway, it serves to hold t em in place, until the run-vf-'ay rises out of the hot water at the discharge si'de of the tank, pins 7c serving to support the gate in norma position. At this point, the antifriction roller of the Gate arm comes in contact withthe. cam su ace z of an upright ost, which serves to raise the gate and hol it o en long enough to allow the cans 'to roll o the inclined run-way onto the discharge track t. At the opposite side of the tank is provided the feed track w, whereon the cans are arran ed in a row or rows, preferably in groups o five, as shown, held in check by a pivoted gate w', having a handle wz, whereby when the gate is lifted the cans will roll into the alined basket as it vcomes over .from the discharge point.

The upper sprocket wheel shaft 3, has power connection provided with worm gear 3, for reducing the speed movement of the chain and baskets to the'point desired, such speed being governed by adjustment of the friction disk 3b, with relation to the disk Vment is slow enou pipe in the tank, as indicated at 4, this waste pipe having a ball joint as shown at 5, in such wise that its mouth may be adjusted to diderent levels, at the same time regulatin the level of the water in the tank.

" aving thus described my inventiomwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1.. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a tank, sprocket mechanism having opposite endless upright chains, transverse carriers hung from said chains, said carriers having run ways inclined slightlyT to the horizontal, agate normall Y closing the lower end of the run-way of eac said carrier, and means for automatically operating said gate to discharge the cans.

2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a tank, sprocket mechanism having opposite endless upright chains,

transverse carriers hung from said cha-ins, said carriers having run-ways inclined slightly to the horizontal, a'feed'track leady ing to one of said carriers, a discharge track leading from the opposite ends of the carriers, and means for automatically discharging the cans from the carriers, including a gate normally closing the lower end of each runway.

3. .In apparatus of the class described, a

tank, opposite upper and lower pairs of v sprocket wheels, o posite endless chains con- Y vnecting said sproc et wheels, transverse bars transverse carriers hung from ysuch chains said carriers having run-ways inclined slightly to the horizontal, aA gate'normally closing the lower end of each run-way, said 'gate having an arm extension carrying an anti-friction roller, and cam means adapted to 'engage such roller for automatically operating said gate to discharge the cans.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,v in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES P. RITCHIE. Witnesses A.- B. RITCHIE, CURRY L. GRABEEL. 

